Earthquake and hurricane strike the park in late august

At about 2 P.M. on Tuesday, August 23, much of the East Coast felt the tremors of a 5.9 magnitude earthquake that originated in central Virginia. Fortunately, the trembling lasted only a few seconds and did not cause any perceptible damage at the Park. We are sorry to learn that damage was done to the Washington Monument and the National Cathedral in Washington D.C., and other buildings in that area.

Hurricane Irene, which hit the Park on the weekend of August 27-28, was a much more serious affair. Heavy winds buffeted the park all weekend, and rain literally fell in buckets. All told, Freehold was pelted by 12.7 inches of rain during the storm, reportedly the highest rainfall amount in the state. Fortunately, no major damage was done to the Visitor Center and damage to the Park itself did not extend beyond numerous downed tree limbs and flooded brooks. The nearby towns of Hightstown and Allentown suffered badly when their lakes overflowed, flooding local businesses and closing down stretches of state highways.

The State closed down the Park that Saturday and Sunday for safety reasons, and it is now open again.

It certainly has been an eventful year at the Park, with heavy loss of trees and branches over the winter due to record snowfalls and now the earthquake and hurricane at the end of August!

PROGRAM TO BE GIVEN ON SEPTEMBER 18,

“THEY WERE ALSO HERE”

Since plans are to knock down two-thirds of the current Visitor Center as part of the construction project, the Visitor Center (and gift shop) and their immediate environs will be closed during the building project. At the moment we are not sure if we will be able to operate a gift shop and information booth elsewhere in the Park, or somewhere else close by. We will let you know as plans are finalized.

“BATTLE OF MONMOUTH MONUMENT

On the weekend of June 26-27, the Friends sponsored talks and tours to commemorate the 233^rd anniversary of the Battle of Monmouth, which was fought on June 28, 1778. Living Historian Stacy Roth gave her fine presentation on Molly Pitcher and women of the army on both days, under our sponsorship. Thanks also to Pete Michel for appearing with his Militia uniform and equipment.

We are very thankful to all the volunteers who gave of their time and energy to help make this year’s re-enactment so successful. These included: Andy Beagle, Mike Cervini, George Dawson, Walter Kowalsky, Heather MacDonald, David Martin, Joe Nemeth, and Fran Raleigh and Jim Raleigh and their granddaughters Mary and Melissa.

President James Raleigh

Vice President Dr. David Martin

Secretary Michael Cervini

Treasurer George Dawson
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

(expiration of term in parentheses)

Richard Bellamy (2011) Spotswood, NJ

Michael Cervini (2012) Toms River, NJ

George Dawson (2013) New Brunswick, NJ

Walter Kowalsky (2011) Freehold, NJ

Dr. David Martin (2012) East Windsor, NJ

Marilyn Miller (2012) Toms River, NJ

Joe Nemeth (2013) Edison, NJ

Fran Raleigh (2013) Colts Neck, NJ

James Raleigh (2011) Colts Neck, NJ

Peter Wagner (2012) Englishtown, NJ

SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING EVENTS
Sept. 18 (Sun.) “They Were Also There.” Program at Park, 1:30 PM

Oct. 2 (Sun.) Walking Tour at Park, 1:30 PM

Oct. 5 (Wed.) “Monmouth Battle Monument in Freehold”

General meeting at Monmouth County Library, 7 PM

Oct. 15 (Sat.) Monmouth County Library Archives Day, 10 AM–3 PM

Nov. 6 (Sun.) Walking Tour at Park, 1:30 PM

Dec. 4 (Sun.) Walking Tour at Park, 1:30 PM

Dec. 7 (Wed.) FOMB Annual Meeting, 7 PM, place TBA

HENRY KNOX AT MONMOUTH by Dr. David Martin
Henry Knox was 26 years old during the Monmouth campaign and was serving as the army’s Chief of Artillery. During the battle, however, he acted more as a senior staff officer; tactical control of the field artillery during the morning part of the battle was exercised by Lt. Col. Eleazar Oswald, and the guns posted on Combs’ Hill were directed Knox’s adjutant, Chevalier du Plessis.

The opening of the battle consisted of an advance by General Charles Lee’s wing towards and through Monmouth Court House in an effort to engage the British rear guard. After Lee had initiated his movement, General Knox was sent by Washington to join the advance “for a particular purpose.” While conferring with Lee, Knox mentioned a deep and wooded ravine in the rear of Lee’s command (the East Morass) which Lee was not aware of. Lee simply responded that he was not sufficiently informed of the ground before that he “came on it, and, that the morass was a disagreeable circumstance, but that he would endeavor to make the best of it.” Having accomplished his mission, whatever it was, Knox returned to report to Washington. Lee, however, lost control of the situation he was in, partly because of his unfamiliarity with the terrain, and his troops began moving to the rear.

Knox remained with the main body of the army until the troops of Lee’s command were seen to be streaming back to the west. Knox then rode forward and found Washington and Lee in heavy conversation. When they were finished, Washington directed Knox to bring up some cannons to face the enemy and stay with them. As Washington galloped off to the rear, Knox spoke briefly with Lee and then set about posting his guns. He had a good eye for the terrain and directed Captain Seward’s battery of the Third Continental Artillery to retire west across the middle morass and form on a hill there. Seward’s command then fired over fifty rounds at the British, slowing up the enemy advance enough to allow a large portion of Lee’s command to cross the morass on the causeway there. As Lee’s force continued to pull back, Knox’s cannons, including David Cook’s battery, moved from point to point to give them covering fire. Knox later aptly described this stage of the battle, “The field pieces were repeatedly unlimbered and fired on the enemy, who advanced on our front in a scattered manner.”

At one point Lt. Col. Oswald appealed for support for his guns, since all the infantry was in retreat and he was afraid that he would lose his guns. Before Knox could get help, Oswald was ordered by Lee to fall back. As he did so, Knox approached Col. Henry Jackson to request him to take his command to the support of Oswald’s guns. However, Oswald was again ordered to the rear because of intense pressure on both flanks of the American line.

Several accounts mention Knox riding up and down the line giving direct orders and encouragement to his guns facing the British advance. Their fire enabled the remaining American infantry to cross the west morass safely; the well-served artillery also withdrew safely, without the loss of a gun.

Soon Washington and Knox formed about 10-12 cannons on Perrine Hill in support of the main body of the American army, which had come up late in the morning from the direction of Englishtown. These guns during the earlier afternoon conducted one of the largest artillery actions that occurred during the war.

There is no question that General Knox played an active and significant part in the course of the battle. Dr. James Thatcher wrote, “In the hard-fought contest of Monmouth, no officer was more distinguished than General Knox. In the front of the battle, he was seen animating the soldiers and directing the thunder of their cannon. His skill and bravery were so conspicuous that he received the particular approbation of the commander-in-chief in general orders issued on the day succeeding the battle, in which he says that ‘the enemy have done us the honor to acknowledge that no artillery could have been better served than ours.’”

After the battle Knox was called on to testify at the court martial of General Charles Lee. He wrote his brother that he was generally ignorant of some of the circumstances of the case and wished sincerely that the situation “had never taken place.” When called to testify, he gave a relatively mild account of Washington’s confrontation

with Lee during the latter’s withdrawal. Then, when Lee asked him during cross examination if he thought that Lee was master of himself, Knox testified, “I did not observe the least embarrassment in you, but much the reverse, as every order you delivered me was delivered with the same coolness as in common when our of the field. ”

Despite Knox’s testimony, Lee was found guilty of the charges brought against him and was accordingly relieved of command. He apparently left one of his dogs with his friend Knox, since the following advertisement appeared in a January 2, 1779 newspaper published near the American winter camp: “Lost or stolen on the seventh instant, a small English Spaniel DOG, the grounds of his color is a very shiny white, his ears marked with yellow, as likewise two or three yellow broad spots on his sides and rump, his tail extremely bushy; had on a brass collar with General Lee’s name. Whoever shall bring him…to General Knox at Pluckemin, shall received twenty dollars reward.”